Tuesday, March 31, 2015, 5:04 p.m.

Hacking trial: Blair offered to advise Murdoch

LONDON — Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair offered to work as an unofficial adviser to Rupert Murdoch as revelations of illegal phone hacking engulfed the mogul's media empire, according to an email made public Wednesday at the trial of several former Murdoch lieutenants.

Prosecutor Andrew Edis read aloud an email sent by Rebekah Brooks, then chief executive of Murdoch's British newspapers, to Murdoch's son and deputy James on July 11, 2011.

In it, Brooks said she had spent an hour on the phone with Blair, who had told her: "It will pass. Tough up."

She said he told her to "keep strong and definitely [take] sleeping pills."